Karyn thought some more and then spoke out loud, "Hmm, but Jon, I've been reading some thorough analyses of the war, the elephant in the room, the reason other countries aren't already interfering more directly: Russia's nukes. Putin or his replacement will immediately realize Russia is up against a new technological threat, and he might feel he has no choice but to use his final ace in the hole."
Her words hit me like a bucket of ice water. My heart, which moments before had been filled with hopeful determination, faltered. I had been so consumed with the idea of ending the war, of saving lives, that I hadn't given a thought to the potential consequences.
"You're right," I said, my voice shaky. "The nukes... I hadn't thought of that."
We stopped in our tracks, the chilling reality setting in. If Russia was faced with a threat they couldn't comprehend, there was no telling what they might do. The horrifying image of nuclear missiles, armed and ready for launch, burned in my mind.
"We can't just do nothing," I said, feeling a sense of desperation creep in. "There has to be a way around this. There has to be a solution."
Karyn sighed, running her hands through her hair in frustration. "I don't know, Jon... This is beyond us. We're just kids. We don't know the first thing about global politics, let alone nuclear warfare."
"But we have to do something!" I insisted, my voice rising. "We have this power, we can't just sit back and let people die."
There was silence between us for a few moments, the gravity of our conversation weighing heavy on our shoulders. Then, a thought struck me.
"What if..." I began slowly, "what if we use the transporter to also neutralize the nuclear weapons? Can the stone create something that could do that?"
Karyn's eyes widened in surprise. "I... I don't know. That's some serious technology we're talking about. And it could backfire terribly if something goes wrong."
"But it's worth a try, isn't it?" I pleaded, looking into her eyes. "It's our best shot at preventing a nuclear disaster."
After a long pause, she nodded slowly. "Okay," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Let's do it."
So our plan grew, not only to send the soldiers home, but also to tackle the monstrous threat of nuclear weapons. Our quest to use the stone for major good had suddenly become a mission to save the world from potential nuclear disaster. The weight of it all was immense, but as I looked at Karyn, I knew we had the strength to bear it. Together.
